Category 7 is a brand new “super-group” which formed in 2023.  This self-titled album is their debut and the band members are John Bush – Vocals, Mike Orlando – Guitars, Phil Demmel – Guitars, Jack Gibson – Bass, Jason Bittner – Drums.  So we have these metal players who are currently in or were ex-members of such bands as: Kerry King, Machine Head, Exodus, Overkill, Vio-Lence, Armored Saint, Anthrax, Burning Human…whoooa that’s some major players.

I also feel ever since Bush was let go from Anthrax, although still with Armored Saint, he always wanted to get back into the thrash metal genre.  I heard the Bush lead Anthrax and seen him live with them, but for me Joey Belladonna was and is the true Anthrax vocalist.  However, I respect to Bush because he was in Anthrax for quite a long period of time, with that being said I feel Category 7 is the perfect style of band for him, with wanting to play heavier music than Armored Saint.

With an average run-time of 51 minutes and 10 songs, the band has stuffed a lot of metal in here, it’s a rather long album, however with the cool-ass album cover and great production this is a pretty fun album.  “In Stitches” starts with a tight AF opening thrash rhythm section with Bittner’s drums sounding venomous, just like with Overkill, and the riffs are excellent with the thrash metal leanings, as the speed takes over.  The song slows down and the vocals of Bush come in during the mid-paced moments with his signature melodic metal vocal crooning.  He gets more aggressive and the song again speeds up with quality guitar solos and terrific off-kilter double bass drums over the thrash part.  Vocal lines are creative and pretty catchy – I enjoy those first 2 Armored Saint albums by the way.  Great melodic guitar soloing happening towards the end of the song and then Bush laying out a long scream.  Wow!!  Call me impressed, especially as the thrash speed returns toward the end with the variety of thrashing and sound effects, this is a killer opening track and the best one and most extreme one on the record.

“Land I Used to Love” is up next and is more of a mid-paced melodic type of thrash metal cruncher.  The vocals are pretty melodic in places, and the chorus moments and vocal lines are well thought out and extremely catchy.  Hey if I can remember the tones and riffs then these are the albums I will frequent much more.  This is a cool song, with a lot of guitar harmonies as well.

“Waver at the Breaking Point” is a speedier number, rather than many of the prior songs.  This has excellent opening drum rolls and double bass action.  Once the vocals come in over the drums and gang shouted vocals I am like, right on mutha fuckas!!  The song goes in a melodic direction with a lot of guitar solos and then a galloping thrash metal attack.  This moment is furious and calls to mind 1988 as I hold my horns high and begin to skank and thrash around the neighborhood, like an idiot.

The band closes the album with the over 8 minute….oofa…instrumental “Etter Stormen”.  You all know how I feel about instrumentals.   Not a huge fan of these suckers.  Now while this instrumental is hellaciously long, there is so much guitar shredding going on it’s insane.  If you’re a fan of like Joe Satriani, Tony MacAlpine, Cacophony, or that type of shredding, you will love this song.  I think it’s about 5 minutes too long, however, the talent displayed here is noodly, impressive, and well..vocals would not have fit on this, at all.

Category 7’s debut album is fun.  I would not quite call them a full-on thrash metal band, because the speed just is not there, but this is heavier than traditional metal.  A metal band with melodic thrash leanings – there you go.  I really wanted faster songs, honestly, because the sound, production and riffs, really scream for those faster songs.  There are numerous sections on this I’m like, snap, that should be a full on thrash attack, but the band continues with their mid-paced moments.  At the end of the day, this is still a good metal album and I look forward to their future recordings.

[Visit the band's website]

---

Comments